Big Ben Roethlisberger Vs Elisha Eli Manning

I think Big Ben is one of the top 6 QBs in the NFL. It seems like a no brainer. However, my friends and I have had an on going battle for years about just that. In fact, my one friend ranked Ben as number 16 in the NFL overall. That's just absolutely ridiculous, therefore I won't even approach that. However, the other argument is specific to who is a better QB; Big Ben Roethlisberger or Elisha Eli Manning. Obviously, as a Steeler fan, I'm going to say Big Ben. Alas, I thought it would be fun to break down the numbers and see what the facts say.

First, let's just take a look at the raw numbers.



So, to review, Ben has a better Average AY/A, better Average Completion %, Less INTs, More TDs, better Average TD %, better Average Y/A, better Average Y/C, better Average Y/G, and more yards. Eli, well, Eli has more attempts. 6 more per game. If you think about it, that number is reflective of the completion percentage but we'll give him that one. If you're keeping score, that's 9 positive marks for Ben and 1 for Eli.

Let's summarize their career numbers just to be sure:



Should I stop now?? The answer to the question, "who is better?" is pretty clear. Heck, the numbers aren't even close.

Alas some naysayers will say Ben had more "help" because the Steelers have a great running game. So let's quickly look at that:

Past Three Years Giants Running Game: 6513 Yards
Past Three Years Steelers Running Game: 6383 Yards.

So much for that theory, my friends.

Oh, but wait, Eli was MVP of the Superbowl (cough...Dexter Jackson...cough...Mark Rypien...cough)! Okay, let's look at overall playoff numbers:



I can't get INTs in that graph for some reason, and Eli does better in that category, however its really not even close overall once again.

Now, let's take a look at their respective Superbowl runs. First, remember Ben's run was two years earlier. That makes a huge difference. Additionally, let's remember both teams were wild cards so they were about even money going into the playoffs. When it comes to the actual Superbowl game, however, it wasn't even close. Eli was far better. I can make excuses, such as Samuels from the Patriots dropping an easy INT, but the fact of the matter is Eli played better. That, however, is where it stops.

First, I've been saying it forever, the AFC is far better than the NFC. It's not even close. I have an email I sent to a buddy last year when the Patriots were 10-0 saying they would not finish undefeated. My theory was the AFC is just too brutal and eventually it would catch up with them. Truth be told, I think a team like Jacksonville would have been in the Superbowl a few times already if they were in the NFC. The fact of the matter is, the Giants had a much easier path to the Superbowl.

As for the games, if you remember Ben came out firing and took big leads during all three games up until the Superbowl with his arm. My friend who loves Eli claims they were playing "9 in the box". Besides the fact a 9 in the box formation does not make life easy for an opposing quarterback, it's also silly to think after Ben threw on the Ben-girls that the opposing coaches ignored his talent in subsequent games. To be fair, I recently went back and looked at the box scores of those games to find a fault. I found nothing other than one INT. Ben played out of this world in his second full year as a starter (third year on the team).

Conversely, Eli played good verse Dallas (we'll work backwards) for the Conference game. I think this was his most underrated game, to be honest. Did he win the game or set a fast pace with his arm for the other team to catch up by throwing (like Ben did)? Absolutely not, but he played well. Before that game, during the Divisional Game, he threw around a 50% completion rate and zero TDs against Green Bay. You cannot play well and have a 50% completion rate and zero TDs. That is impossible. And before that Eli, during the Wild Card game, started out with an okay game verse the NFC joke of a playoff team called Tampa Bay. But Josh, he had two TDs and a higher completion rate!!?!?! Yes, but check this out:

10-E.Manning pass short right to 89-K.Boss to NYG 35 for 3 yards
10-E.Manning pass incomplete short right to 85-D.Tyree
10-E.Manning pass short left to 12-S.Smith to NYG 23 for 6 yards
10-E.Manning pass incomplete short middle to 12-S.Smith
10-E.Manning sacked at NYG 18 for -8 yards
10-E.Manning pass short right to 17-P.Burress to TB 49 for 4 yards
10-E.Manning pass short right to 81-A.Toomer to TB 32 for 17 yards
10-E.Manning pass short left to 81-A.Toomer to TB 19 for 10 yards
10-E.Manning pass incomplete short middle to 12-S.Smith
10-E.Manning pass short middle to 81-A.Toomer to TB 5 for 13 yards
10-E.Manning pass short middle to 27-B.Jacobs for 5 yards
10-E.Manning pass short right to 17-P.Burress to TB 46 for 11 yards
10-E.Manning pass short left to 17-P.Burress to TB 37 for 9 yards
10-E.Manning pass short middle to 12-S.Smith to TB 17 for 21 yards
10-E.Manning pass short right to 44-A.Bradshaw to TB 8 for 9 yards
10-E.Manning pass incomplete deep middle to 89-K.Boss
10-E.Manning pass short left to 27-B.Jacobs to TB 7 for 11 yards
10-E.Manning pass incomplete short right to 17-P.Burress
10-E.Manning pass short middle to 81-A.Toomer to TB 4 for 8 yards
PENALTY on NYG-10-E.Manning, Delay of Game, 5 yards
10-E.Manning pass short right to 12-S.Smith to TB 7 for 2 yards
10-E.Manning pass incomplete short right to 44-A.Bradshaw
10-E.Manning pass short right to 39-M.Hedgecock to NYG 13 for 5 yards
10-E.Manning pass incomplete deep right to 17-P.Burress. PENALTY on NYG-17-P.Burress, Offensive Pass Interference
10-E.Manning pass short middle to 81-A.Toomer to NYG 22 for 11 yards
10-E.Manning pass short right to 81-A.Toomer to NYG 40 for 11 yards
10-E.Manning pass short right to 89-K.Boss to TB 35 for 11 yards
10-E.Manning pass incomplete short right to 88-M.Matthews
10-E.Manning pass short left to 17-P.Burress pushed ob at TB 21 for 14 yards
10-E.Manning pass short right to 81-A.Toomer for 4 yards

That's right, not one pass was a long pass. Not one. You cannot have anything but an okay game if you are throwing passes I can throw. It's impossible.

Finally, I'll leave you with this survey done by NFL players:



You CANNOT be better than Ben if you are on this list. Also, check out the company Eli has on this list. Ouch.

So, I add all this up and it's pretty obvious who's better. In fact, its not even close. This can change dramatically this year and the years to come. For now, the number one pick in the draft is getting destroyed in almost every category and angle I can think of by the eleventh pick in the draft....and I love it!

GO STEELERS!

Update: A reader points out I have Eli's playoff run backwards. I'm too lazy to change it, but the performance analysis is no different.